Penis & Testicle Concerns / Question
Published: May 14, 2008
Dear TeenHealthFX,
Is being circumcised painful and dangerous to a person my age? I am 19 years old.
Signed: Cicumcision At Nineteen
Dear Cicumcision At Nineteen,
For our readers who may not know, circumcision is the surgical removal of all or part of the foreskin, the skin that covers the head of the penis. This procedure is most often performed for religious, cosmetic, and/or hygienic reasons, but can also be performed to alleviate problems that arise from certain medical conditions. While over 60 percent of male newborns get circumcised in the
Medical indications for adult circumcision:
Although there are numerous medical indications for adult circumcision, none of them is very common. They can include:
- Phimosis, the most common indication, is a condition where the foreskin of the penis is so narrow that it is difficult, if not impossible, and painful, to pull back.
- Pain with erection or during intercourse.
- Paraphimosis, the unreplaceable retraction of a narrow foreskin that causes a painful swelling of the glans, is the second most common indication for adult circumcision. Acute paraphimosis is a urologic emergency requiring reduction of the foreskin through surgical or nonsurgical methods.
- Recurrent balanitis and posthitis (inflammation of the prepuce), preputial neoplasms, excessive prepuce redundancy and tears in the frenulum are also medical indications for adult circumcision.
Contraindications to adult circumcision:
There are no specific contraindications to adult circumcision; however, patients with the following should be referred for a urologic consultation:
- Active infection
- Possible squamous cell carcinoma of the penis
- Anatomic abnormalities of the external genitalia
Possible complication or side-effects:
As with any surgical procedure, bleeding and infection are probably the most common complications of adult circumcision. Possible complications of adult circumcision also include:
- Poor cosmetic results
- A change in sensation during intercourse.
- Hematoma formation
- Inadvertent damage to the glans
- Removal of too much or too little skin
Patients should also be aware that:
- During the postoperative period, erections can cause pain and disruption of the suture line that may require replacement of the sutures.
- Full recovery following circumcision generally requires four to six weeks. During this time it is recommended that there be abstinence from all genital stimulation and sexual activity.
Benefits of circumcision:
- Hygiene will be simpler and may result in fewer local infections
- There will be resolution of phimosis and paraphimosis
- Less risk of frenular tears and bleeding during intercourse.
- Slightly reduced risk of getting sexually transmitted infections (STIs), such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV — the virus that causes AIDS) and human papillomavirus (HPV — the virus that causes genital warts). FX does want readers to keep in mind that safer sex techniques are much more effective in preventing STIs than circumcision
Pain associated with adult circumcision:
Unlike newborns, adults are able to be given anesthesia (local or regional) during the circumcision that will prevent any pain from being felt during the procedure. However, as with any surgery, there will be some degree of temporary pain following the operation – the degree of pain experienced often differs from person to person.
If you are considering being circumcised, FX suggests that you speak with a medical health professional about the operation and whether or not this procedure is right for you. If you don't have a doctor and live in northern
Signed: TeenHealthFX
While 93% of teenage women report that their first intercourse was voluntary, one-quarter of these young women report that it was unwanted. 
